Apparatus for cyclically actuating orbital members



United States Patent [72] Inventor JosephC.Seigh a corporation of Pennsylvania [54] APPARATUS FOR CYCLICALLY ACTUATING 5/1966 Twigg "I:

FOREIGN PATENTS 537,430 6/1941 Great Britain 242/l8.l 638,727 6/1950 Great Britain 242/1 8.1

Primary Examiner--Stanley N. Gilreath Assistant Examiner-Werner H. Schroeder AttorneysWilliam J. Foley, Stanton T. Hadley and John W.

Kane, Jr.

ABSTRACT: Apparatus is disclosed for cyclically actuating a member carried through an orbit so as to move the member between a first position and a second position once during a predetermined number of orbital revolutions and over a predetermined time span. The apparatus is of particular utility in moving a web-contacting member radially into and out of a recess in the surface of a rotating bedroll on a continuous web winder. The apparatus involves the use of transmission means such as two coaxially mounted gears rotationally fixed together to connect a driving means, which is arranged to rotate the bedroll, to a rotatably mounted cam coaxially disposed adjacent one end of the bedroll so that the cam undergoes one revolution relative to the bedroll during a predetermined number of revolutions of the bedroll. The cam is arranged to actuate a cam follower carried by the bedroll and operably connected to the web contacting member, so that the cam follower actuates the web-contacting member at least once during a predetermined number of revolutions of the member about its orbital path.

PATENTEB [15222 I970 SHEET 1 OF 2 JNW'N'I )R. Joseph C, Seigh ATTORNEY.

PATENTEDDEC22I97G 3549.097

sum 2 OF 2 J- 3 Joseph C Seigh ATTOR NEY.

APPARATUS FOR CYCLICALLY ACTUATING onnrrar.

I MEMBERS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to apparatus for cyclically actuating orbital members and, more particularly, to apparatus for moving an orbital member between a first position and a second position once during a predetermined number of revolutions of the orbital member and over a predetermined time span. In particular, this invention relates to the combination of such apparatus with web winding apparatus adapted to wind a substantially continuous web into a plurality of successively wound web rolls.

2. Description of the Prior Art In the past, a number of different forms of apparatus have been employed in connection with web-winding apparatus for actuating orbital members as they were moved through an orbital path. Such systems have included arrangements to actuate such members either several times'during each revolution or once every predetermined number of revolutions.

Generally the mechanisms employed have been of a nature such that actuation of the member occurred within a very short time span, causing considerable problems such as: achieving the acceleration and deceleration of the. member which is required to perform theintended function with the desired frequency and rapidity, overcoming centrifugal force on the member where it is moving very rapidly about an orbital path as where it is carried by a rapidly rotating cylindrical shell and has to be moved rapidly, and eliminating wear on the mechanical element involved due to the sharp impacts occurring at the high speeds required to obtain the desired movement. Many of the above mechanisms also result in vibration or bouncing of the orbital member being moved, making it difficult to hold it in the position to which it is moved or to accurately return it to its original position when desired. The speed of any actuation is responsive to orbital speed of the orbital member. I

Such prior art apparatus typically utilizes sliding cam mechanisms in which a segmented camming surface is employed on which a cam follower runs.'The cam follower is operably connected to the member to be moved. Provision is generally made to remove a segment of the cam periodically or during a predetermined number of revolutions of the orbital member and cam follower whereupon the cam follower may follow a modified path during one or more of such revolutions, causing movement of the orbital member once each such revolution. Where several movement of the orbital member are desired during each revolution thereof, a fixed cam istypically employed so that the cam follower moves the orbital member in response to the shape of the fixed cam, upon rotation of the orbital member about its orbital path.

While mechanisms such as those described above may be satisfactorily used in apparatus operating at relatively low speeds, on the order of several revolutions per minute, and are 'often run at higher speed in situations where the above-mentioned problems can be tolerated, there are many instances where apparatus of that nature is not satisfactory due to the high speeds involved and the severity of the problems experienced. For example, in the winding of web rolls from a substantially continuous web, wherein orbital members are arranged to move radially outward of a bedroll over which the web passes so as to contact the web and assist in the winding or other treatment or converting thereof, it is generally desired to move the orbital member from a first position to a second position once during perhaps 100 revolutions of the V bedroll, as during that time a length of web suitable for winding one web roll will have moved over the bedroll, and cutoff, transfer, and tail-tying functions are desired to be accom plished in a manner permitting continuation of the winding operations without stopping. It is desired to wind such webs at speed of up to 3,000 feet per minute and higher which, of

rapid revolution of the orbital member through its orbital path to match the surface speeds of the web being wound.

For example, such web winding apparatus is typically of the same general type as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,769,600 issued to Kwitek and Nystrand. Apparatus of this type is generally employed whenever a moving web of a substantially continuous length must be wound in the from of a plurality of distinct rolls having a generally predetermined length. Thus, the apparatus may be employed directlyat the end of a papermaking machine or the apparatus may be employed in a rewinding operation where paper is unwound from a relative large parent or jumbo roll and rewound into a plurality of smaller consumer rolls. Typical examples of such consumer rolls are the commercially available rolls of toilet tissue and paper toweling. The apparatus serves to provide a means to wind a web traveling generally continuously and at relatively high speed onto cores for individual use. The speed of the substantially continuously advancing web may be on the order of 2,000 feet per minute and higher. From the above description, it can be seen that the length of time required to form individual consumer-type rolls amounts .to only a few seconds.

In the past, winding operations, whether of the intermittent type or the so-called continuous type, have had a number of problems. Initially, all winders were of an intermittent type where, upon the completion of the winding of one smaller roll, the winding operation was stopped for a period of time during which the web was severed, the completed roll was removed from a core carrying frame, and a new mandrel containing cores mounted thereon. After securing the free leading edge of the web to the new core on the mandrel, the winding operation was started again to perform the winding of that particular roll.

'With the advent of the so-called automatic or continuous winders, some of the problems were eliminated by automatically moving a new core-carrying mandrel into the path of a stretch of the web being wound on a preceding core-carrying mandrel before the winding of that roll was completed. In this type of conventional automatic or continuous winder, severance of the web or cutoff may occur at a position between adjacent core carrying mandrels, that is, between the mandrel containing a nearly completed roll and a mandrel containing the next succeeding core upon which a roll is to be formed. Alternatively, web severance may occur on the bedroll, that is, preceding the core on which the web is to be wound. The winder may be equipped with a plurality of mandrels, each of which goes through the same orbital path designed to cause the mandrel to approach the surface of a bedroll over which the web is normally fed to the individual winding mandrels.

In the conventional automatic winder, the above-described arrangement permits the mandrel to be equipped with a paperboard core on which the web such as tissue or toweling stock is wound. Normally the core is then faced with glue, transfer of the web from the wound roll to the new core takes place, and the actual winding occurs, after which the wound web roll is removed from the mandrel. Therefore, when the winding of a roll on a first mandrel'core is nearly completed, the next succeeding mandrel having a fresh core thereupon faced with glue is in a position close to the fast traveling web so as to pick up the free leading end thereof and continues the winding operation with the winding of a new roll once the web has been severed.

Some or all of the operations described above are typically performed or assisted through the use of members carried by the bedroll in recesses in its surface, which members are actuated at predetermined times through the use of mechanisms such as those described above. In some instances, a knife or other means for severing the web may be carried within the bedroll and moved outwardly of the surface of the bedroll at a predetermined time to sever the web. In other instances other members may be carried in a similar manner and moved in a similar manner to elevate portions of the web above the surface of the bedroll so as to apply adhesive thereto or to transfer the web to a fresh core. Regardless of the specific nature of these various members or elements, for purposes of the description of the present invention they and others of a similar nature will'be referred to generally as web-contacting members or orbital members."

In such circumstances, the use of prior art devices such as "those described above is generally impractical in view of the problems mentioned above. The apparatus of the invention makes it possible to accomplish the desired movement of the orbital web-contacting member without these problems. By

movement to be accomplished even at high speeds largely free from the above-mentioned problems. For example, the apparatus of the invention is free from the very serious wear problems experienced with the prior art apparatus largely due tothe fact that the high-speed motionand the shock of staring and stopping the motion of the member are no longer present and the wear on the actuating member is reduced.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The apparatus of the invention includes an orbital member rrioving through an orbital path and carrying a cam follower. A driving means is employed for moving the orbital member through its path. The driving means is also utilized to drive a cam rotatably mounted coaxially with respect to the point about which the orbital member revolves. The cam means is connected to the drive means by means of transmission means arranged to rotate the cam relative to the orbital member once during a predetermined number of revolutions on the orbital member. Generally, the orbital member is carried in rotation by a rotatably mounted support member about the rotational axis of the support member.

In a particular embodiment, apparatus of the invention comprises an improvement in web winding apparatus, including a plurality of rotatably mounted winding mandrels carried in revolution by a rotatable turret, a rotatably mounted bedroll over which a web is fed in partial wrapping engagement to a pickup position where a free leading edge of a web formed by transverse severance of the web is transferred to a core disposed on one of said winding mandrels, driving means for rotating the bedroll, a web-contacting member mounted for cyclical radial movement from a first position to a second position radially outward beyond the surface of the bedroll, and cyclical actuating means operably connected to the bedroll and adapted to cyclically move the web-contacting member between the first position and the second position once during a predetermined number of rotations of the bedroll. The improvement comprises cyclical actuating means which include a cam rotatably mounted adjacent one end of thebedro ll and coaxial therewith, the cam having a camming surface movable relative to the bedroll, a cam follower carried by'rthe bedroll and operably connected to the web-contacting member and adapted to follow the camming surface of the cam upon rotation of the bedroll, and transmission means connecting the driving means with the cam such that the cam undergoes one revolution relative to the bedroll during a predetermined number of revolutions of the bedroll.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 1 is a sectional side elevation view of web winding apparatus of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, part in section, showing the drive and cyclical actuating apparatus; and,

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along lines 3-3 of FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a portion of a web 10 being drawn from a relatively large wound web roll (not shown) and wound :into individual rolls 11 containing a predetermined length of web. The web 10 is fed past a guide roll 12 into contact with the surface of a bedroll 13 from which it passes to a core 14 carried on a rotatably mounted mandrel 15 carried in revolution through an orbital path by a rotatably mounted turret assembly 16 adapted for indexed operation. The turret assembly 16 is arranged to be indexed into successive winding positions after completion of a predetermined number of revolutions of the bedroll 13 which reflect the length of web wound on a roll 11. A glue pot 17 having a reservoir 18 containing adhesive 20 and a roll 21 for removing adhesive 20 from the reservoir 18 and applying it to a core 14 on the mandrel 15 is provided above the turret assembly 16.

The bedroll 13 comprises a cylindrical shell 22 rotatably mounted on a stationary shaft 23 and contains a vacuum chamber 24 defined by leading and trailing edges 25 and 26 of a suction box 27. The vacuum chamber 24 is connected to a source of vacuum (not shown) through an opening 28 in the shaft 23 and through one end of the bedroll 13. A web-contacting member 30 is sealingly disposed within a recess 31 in the shell 22 and is arranged for pivotal movement about the axis of a shaft 32 to which arms 33 supporting the web-contacting member 30 are fixed.

As shown in FIG. 3, the shaft 32 extends beyond one end of the bedroll 13 and contains an arm 34 fixed thereto which has a cam follower 35 rotatably mounted on one end. A spring 29 (shown in phantom) is provided at the opposite end of the bedroll 13 in a manner connecting another arm 34 affixed to the opposite end of shaft 32 to a fixedpoint on the end of the bedroll 13. Spring 29 is thus arranged to urge the arm 34 and the shaft 32 to rotate in a direction tending to hold the webcontacting member 30 partially out of the recess 31 and radially beyond the outer surface of the shell 22. Normally, the cam follower 35 is held radially outward by the apparatus of the invention, so that the web-contacting member 30 is held within the recess 31 and beneath the surface of the shell 22. However, upon actuation of the cam follower 35 by means of the apparatus of the invention, the web-contacting member 30 will be moved by the spring 29 outwardly of the surface of the shell 22 and into contact with a web 10 passing over it and arranged in partial wrapping engagement therewith.

.In operation, after a predetermined number of revolutions of the bedroll 13 have occurred and when it is desired to terminate the winding of a wound web roll 11 and commence the winding of a successive wound web roll 11, the web-contacting member 30 is moved outwardly so that it elevates a transverse segment 36 of the web 10 above the surface of the shell 22. The web-contacting member 30 shown contains a projecting portion 37 and a slot 38 which precedes the projecting portion 37. A chopper roll 40 (shown in FIG. 1) containing a knife 41 mounted parallel with 'the slot 38 is rotatably mounted adjacent the surface of the shell 22 and is driven relative thereto. The apparatus is arranged so that the knife 41 clears the web 10 during normal winding operations but transversely severs the web 10 when the transverse segment 36 thereof is elevated by the web-contacting member 30. This severance occurs by rapid insertion of the knife 41 through the portion of the web 10 bridging the slot 38 in the web-contacting member 30 as it passes adjacent the chopper roll 40.

The web-contacting member 30 has a plurality of openings .42 connecting the outer surface'of the projecting portion 37 which contacts the web 10 with the interior of the shell.22 through openings 39 in shell 22. When the web-contacting member 30 is disposed adjacent the vacuum chamber 24, the partial vacuum communicating through the openings 39 and 42 holds the free-leading edge of the web 10, formed by the transverse severance, to the projecting portion 37 of the webcontacting member 30 until that free-leading edge is pressed into contact with the adhesive-containing core 14 on a successive winding mandrel 15. The adhesive on core 14 has sufficient attractive force to pull the web from the projecting portion 37 and onto the core 14 so as to commence the winding of a new web roll 1 1.

In' the above arrangement of apparatus, it can be seen that I the web-contacting member 30 must not be fully extended outwardly from the surface of the shell 22 as it moves past the chopper roll 40 and the core-containing winding mandrel 15, as web severance would occur as well as interference with the adhesive-containing core 14. However, clearances are such that when severance and transfer are desired, outward movement of the web-contacting member 30 beyond the surface of shell 22 may be commenced more than one revolution of the bedroll 13 prior to passing the chopper roll 40 without interfering with the operation of either the chopper roll 40 or the winding mandrel 15. In addition, the return or inward withdrawal of the web-contacting member 30 beneath the surface of the shell 22 and into recess 31 can be commenced immediately after the web 10 has been pressed by the projecting portion 37 of the web-contacting member 30 into contact with the core 14 on a fresh mandrel and have more than one revolution of the shell 22 within which to withdraw inwardly sufficiently. to allow any transverse segment 36 supported on the web-contacting member 30 to clear the knife 41 carried by the chopper roll 40.

With the above arrangement, taking advantage of the limits described, it can be seen that even though the shell 22 is rotating at very high speeds, as the case in the high-speed winding of webs 10, by utilizing the proper actuating mechanism, the time span over which the orbital member, that is, the web-contacting member 30, is moved between a first position and a second position can be extended over several revolutions of the bedroll 13. In practical operation, at speed of from about 1,000 feet per minute to about 4,000 feet per minute, this allows movement of the member 30 through one complete cycle in a time span of from about 0.25 to about 1.0 seconds which considerably reduces the shock forces and vibrations generated in the equipment as compared with those experienced with prior art equipment of this general nature operating at similar speeds.

FIG. 2 illustrates one form of apparatus for accomplishing the above-described movement of the cam follower 35 and, accordingly, the web-contacting member 30. The shell 22 of the bedroll 13 is secured to end trunnions 43, only one being shown, which are rotatably mounted by means of bearings 44 on the stationary shaft 23. As mentioned with respect to FIG. I, the shaft 23 is hollow so as to provide a conduit for communicating partial vacuum into the vacuum chamber 24 within the shell 22. The ends of the shaft 23 are carriedon a main frame 45. The trunnion 43 carries a coaxially mounted drive gear 46 keyed thereto. The drive gear 46 receives power from a pinion gear 47 connected to a motor 48, the pinion gear 47 and motor 48 serving as drive means for the apparatus. A cam 50 is rotatably mounted on the trunnion 43 coaxially therewith and contains a camming surface 51 which is contacted by the cam follower 35 on the arm 34. The arm 34 is fixed to the shaft 32 shown in FIG. 1, and rotation of shaft 32 causes movement of the web-contacting member 30.

FIG. 3 shows the arrangement of the cam follower 35 and the camming surface 51 in a particular manner which achieves the advantages of the invention. In the particular arrangement shown in FIG. 3, the cam 50 is generally circular throughout the major portion of its periphery but has a small segment of its periphery formed by an adjustable plate 52 carried by bolts 53 which has a depression 56. This arrangement allows the movement of the cam plate 52 circumferentially about the cam .50 permitting some adjustment of the timing of the camming operation. The cam can be designed, of course, to cause any type of programmed motion desired during movement of the cam follower and linkage from the first position to the second position and back.

Referring back to FIG. 2, one form of transmission means are shown connecting the drive gear 46 with the cam 50. The

cam 50 has a peripheral gear portion 49 by means of which it receives power from the transmission means. The transmission means comprise two coaxially mounted gears 54 and 55 rotationally fixed together to prevent relative rotation therebetween. One of the two gears 54 and 55 has more gear teeth than the other. It can be seen that when the drive gear 46 rotates the cam 50 by means of power transmitted through these two gears 54 and 55, the cam 50 will rotate at a slightly difierent speed than the drive gear 46. Thus, the cam 50 can be made to move very slowly relatively to the shell 22 and to a cam follower 35 supported by shaft 32 carried on shell 22. Moreover, the cam 50 may be made to rotate in either direction relative to the shell 22, depending upon the arrangement of gears 54 and 55.

Alternatively from the embodiments shown in FIG. 2, the gear portion 49 of the cam 50 might have a different number of teeth than the drive gear 46 and the two gears 54 and 55, coaxially mounted and rotationally fixed together, might have the same number of teeth and might comprise one gear, the result again being that the cam 50 would be rotated relative to the bedroll 13.

Preferably the orbital member or web-contacting member 30 is moved through its path and returned to its original position as the shell 22 rotates through two complete revolutions. Thus at the end of the first revolution of the shell revolution of the shell 22, the web-contacting member 30 is disposed in its radially outermost position. This insures that the web-contacting member will clear other elements of the apparatus closely spaced from the outer surface of the shell 22 at points about the path of the web-contacting member 30 while allowing it to project from the shell 22 to perform its function intermediate such points. This can be achieved by maintaining the camming surface 51 at a fixed radial distance from the rotational axis of the cam 50 throughout a portion of its periphery equal to P where:

P equals the periphery of the cam surface, and h From the above, it follows that the recessed portion of the camming surface 51 will have a length equal to P There has accordingly been shown and described herein a novel and unique apparatus for actuating orbital members carried in rotation by a rotatably mounted support member. In addition, web winding apparatus employing the actuating apparatus has been described. It is apparent from the above description that the invention provides novel actuating me ans for cyclically actuating orbital members in an improved manner, eliminating many of the problems experienced with prior art apparatus. Thus, the actuation can occur over a longer period of time, thereby increasing its accuracy and reducing or eliminating the wear and shock forces. Moreover, the timing of the actuation can be easily and conveniently adjusted.

From the above description of the invention, it will be apparent that various modifications in the apparatus described in detail herein may be made within the scope of the invention. Thus, different types of transmission means could be employed to connect the drive gear to the cam to obtain relative movement therebetween. In addition, the apparatus of the in vention might be employed to advantage in connection with equipment other than continuous web winding apparatus. Therefore, the invention is not to be limited to the specific details of the apparatus described herein, except as may be required by the following claims.

I claim:

1. in web winding apparatus, including a plurality of rotatably mounted winding mandrels carried in revolution by a rotatably turret, a rotatably mounted bedroll over which a web is fed in partial wrapping engagement to a pickup position where. a free-leading edge of a web formed by transverse severanceof the web is'transferred to a core disposed on one of said winding mandrels, driving means for rotating said bedroll, a web-contacting member mounted for cyclical movement from a first position to a second position radially outward beyond the surface of said bedroll, and cyclical actuating means operably connected to said bedroll and adapted to cyclically move said web-contacting member between said first position and said second position once during a predetermined number of rotations of said bedroll, the improvement wherein said cyclical actuating means include:

a cam rotatably mounted adjacent one end of said bedroll and coaxial therewith, said cam having a camming surface movable relative to said bedroll;

a cam follower carried by said bedroll and operably connected to said web-contacting member and adapted to follow the camming surface of said cam upon rotation of said bedroll; and

transmission means connecting said driving means with said cam such that the cam undergoes one revolution relative to said bedroll during a predetermined number of revolutions of said bedroll.

2. The improvement in web winding apparatus according to claim 1, including biasing means operably connected to said cam follower and adapted to urge said cam follower into contact with said camming surface during rotation of said bedroll.

3. The improvement in web winding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said driving means include:

a drive gear rotatably fixed to said bedroll and arranged to receive power from said drive means; and

differential drive means connecting said drive gear with said cam whereby said cam undergoes one revolution relative to said bedroll during a predetermined number of revolutions of said bedroll.

4. The improvement in web winding apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said differential drive means comprise two coaxially mounted gears rotationally fixed together to prevent relative rotation therebetween, one of said two gears having .more teeth than the other, said differential drive means being arranged to transmit power through one of said two gears to the other for driving said cam.

5. The improvement in web winding apparatus according to claim 3, wherein:

said differential drive means comprise a driven gear and a driving gear, said driven gear being rotatively fixed to said driving gear to prevent relative rotation therebetween, said driven gear a different number of teeth than said driving gear; and

' said differential drive means are arranged to transmit power through said driven gear to said driving gear for driving said cam. :56. The improvement in web winding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said camming surface is disposed a fixed radialdistance from the rotational axis of said cam throughout the major portion of its periphery.

. 7 The improvement in web winding apparatus according to claim l, wherein said cammin g surface is disposed a fixed radialzdistance from the rotational axis of said cam throughout a portion periphery equal to P where:

: P equals the periphery of said camming surface,

- R equals said predetermined number of revolutions of said bedroll.

8. The improvement in web winding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of said camming surface is adjustable relative to said cam, whereby cyclical movement of said web-contacting member by said cyclical actuating means can be accurately controlled.

9. Apparatus for cyclically actuating orbital members carried in rotation by a rotatably mounted support member about the rotational axis of said support member comprising:

a cam rotatably mounted coaxial with said support member, said cam having a camming surface movable relative to said support member;

a cam follower carried by said support member and operably connected to said orbital member and adapted to follow the camming surface of said cam upon rotation of said support member;

driving means for rotating said support member; and

transmission means connecting said driving means with said cam such that the cam undergoes one revolution relative to said support member during a predetermined number of revolutions of said support member.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9, including biasing means operably connected to said cam follower and adapted to urge said cam follower into contact with said camming surface during rotation of said support member.

11. Apparatus according to claim 9, including:

a drive gear rotatably fixed to said support member and arranged to receive power from said drive means; and

differential drive means connecting said drive gear with said cam wherebysaid cam undergoes one revolution relative to said support member during a predetermined number of revolutions of said support member.

12. Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said differential drive means comprise two coaxially mounted gears rotationally fixed together to prevent relative rotation therebetween, one of said two gears having more teeth than the other, said differential drive means being arranged to transmit power through one of said two gears to the other for driving said cam.

14. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said camming surface is disposed a fixed radial distance from the rotational axis of said cam throughout the major portion of its periphery.

15. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said camming surface is disposed a fixed radial distance from the rotational axis of said cam throughout a portion of its periphery equal to P( where:

P eqrals the periphery of said camming surface,

R equals said predetermined number of revolutions of said support member.

16. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein at least a portion of said camming surface is adjustable relative to said cam, whereby cyclical movement of said orbital member by said cyclical actuating means can be accurately controlled. 

